Kotaku has a trailer teasing a project from 2K Games that will be unveiled at Spike TV's 2009 Video Games Awards. The clip shows a soldier and the aftermath of some sort of disaster in Dubai, with the accompanying voice-over indicating the game will be a first-person shooter. Presumably we will learn more by Spike's VGA ceremony, which will be held on December 12.

Steam users who purchased keys for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 through what turn out to be grey market sources have found themselves banned from playing the game. Apparently users have been able to buy discounted keys from sources that buy them in bulk for cyber cafes, foreign sales, and similar setups, only to find this is a no-no. A post to the Steam Users' Forums by Valve's BurtonJ says: "If you purchased just a cd key for the game then you purchased from an illegitimate seller and the game has been revoked." In a later post he clarifies: "I am sorry but you all did not purchase from a legitimate retailer. It is recommended that you contact the seller to request a refund. In the future, you should only buy unopened retail boxed copies from legitimate retailers or purchase via legitimate digital download services such as Steam and Direct2Drive." We saw a note about this yesterday with no working links to evidence of this, but found the sources today courtesy of a post on Voodoo Extreme.

The Impulse Website has word that beta testing of the Diplomacy expansion for Ironclad's 4X strategy game Sins of a Solar Empire will commence next week:

Ironclad Games and Stardock Entertainment are pleased to announce the planned start of Beta 1 for Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy on Monday, November 23rd.

All Diplomacy pre-orders will be charged on Monday with access to the beta (which will not be fun, per our usual disclaimer). Beta 1 will not be feature complete but will contain: New Envoy cruisers, Embassies, Diplomacy tech tree (much more to come here, only the backbone will be present), Mission Generator, the beginnings of the Pirate changes, "Faster" gameplay options and more.

To pre-order Sins of a Solar Empire: Diplomacy, just visit the Store.

A post to the Infinity Ward Forum by Robert Bowling explains that in spite of the uproar from PC users expressing discontent over plans for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare has outsold the original in its first week:

Yes, PC is the smallest percentage in terms of how much sold on each platform but that hardly means anything other than the PC is just the smallest market.

The PC version of Modern Warfare 2 has actually outsold the PC version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in it's first week. Making it the most successful PC version.

Essentially, all this percentage proves is that the console versions sold great, not that the PC version sold poorly, because that's actually not the case. The PC version has done tremendous in it's first week, better than our previous game.

StarTribune.com has word that the National Institute on Family and the Media (NIMF) is closing down on December 31 due to "the current challenging economic environment." The Minneapolis-based non-profit organization is best known for its annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card, which sought to inform parents about violent content in video games. Psychologist David Walsh, NIMF founder, said the following of the closure: "the work is far from finished and I look forward to transitioning the Institute's programs to worthy organizations that I am confident will continue to educate parents and caregivers on our rapidly changing digital culture." Thanks loonyboi.

Stardock boss Brad Wardell follows up on yesterday's story about a complaint about Warlords Battlecry III purchased on Impulse not working properly. On further investigation, they have found the problem, and have replaced the version of the game on Impulse with a patched version that addresses the problem and adds some new content. Here's word:

As mentioned yesterday, the Consumerist never contacted Stardock or the game’s publisher Enlight about it. When I got your email I asked our Director of Publishing about it who reported what Enlight had told them.

However, I tried t he game myself and while the game does work, the random function is broken. This initially had been believed to be an issue on Vista and Windows 7 but it happens on Windows XP. Further investigation led us to discover that the latest official version of the game has this problem and that it is caused because when the developer removed SecuRom from the game a few years ago it triggered this.

We informed Enlight of this problem and they told us they were unaware of this issue and gave us the okay to find a way to fix the issue for Impulse customers. To that end, this evening we released an update to Warlords Battlecry 3 that incorporates a host of updates that were created by fans of the game.

In addition to addressing the problem mentioned on the forums it also adds:

- New Ogre playable faction
- New Goblin playable faction
- New Dragon playable faction
- 24 new Hero avatars
- Ships added for each race
- New terrain mini pack
- Four new Campaign locations on the world map
- New Event conditions
- New Hero classes: Tyrant, Horde Master, Dwarf Master, Wizard
- New Magic Spheres: Time Magic, Goblin Magic, Light Magic, Dwarf Magic - Lots of new skills for new items
- Three new Lair types
- 236 new Hero Portraits

Steam News announces a new patch is automatically available for Dreamkiller, the action game from Mindware Studios. Here's word on the major change in the new version: "Fixed disconnection issues on non-local networks."

A new trailer from Star Trek Online shows off the final frontier in a space exploration clip from the upcoming Trekkie MMORPG. This is Jerry Bruckheimer-style exploration, as the peace lasts about 30 seconds, and then the shooting starts, and the rest of the clip features copious explosions. The clip is posted on GameTrailers and GameVideos.

Two new trailers from BioShock 2 are now available on Gametrailers, showing off 2K's upcoming first-person shooter sequel. There is a To Harvest Or Not To Harvest clip and a Turret Hack trailer.

A new trailer from Need for Speed SHIFT shows off content from the just announced Team Racing Pack DLC. The clip featuring new cars from the free DLC is available on GameTrailers.

A new trailer shows off the Zerg changeling in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Blizzard's upcoming RTS sequel. The trailer can be found on GameTrailers and GameVideos.

A new trailer for Dark Void is on GameTrailers, offering a look at "The Watchers," one of the enemies in Airtight Games' upcoming jetpack-powered action game.

Keys for the upcoming beta test for R.U.S.E. are now being distributed. If you are interested in testing Ubisoft's upcoming real-time strategy game can hit up either Fileplay or IncGamers.

• GameStop's Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Tournament.

Toys R Us Tempts Customers with pre-Black Friday Deals.

• Majesty 2: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim on GamersGate. Save 60%.
• Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures Premium Plus Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Torchlight on Direct2Drive. Save $5.00 with the code 5OFFTORCH.
  
  Still on sale (previously reported)
   
• 48 Hour Madness on GoGamer.
• Alganon on Direct2Drive. Preorder and get beta access and in-game items.
• Aliens vs. Predator on GameStop. Preorder and get three exclusive multiplayer skins.
• Blood Bowl Dark Elves Edition on Steam. Save 10% on pre-purchases.
• Capitalism II on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Colin McRae DiRT 2 on Steam. Pre-purchase and save 80% on DiRT.
• Crayon Physics Deluxe on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Dungeon Siege II Expansion Pack on GamerDeals. Only $1.99. Thanks Batman.
• Elven Legacy on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Evochron Legends on GamersGate. Save 20%.
• Frontlines: Fuel of War on Steam. Save 75%.
• Grand Theft Auto IV on Direct2Drive. Now $29.95.
• Hacker Evolution - Untold on Impulse.
• Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile - Alexandria on Impulse. Save 50%.
• Iron Grip Warlord on Impulse. Save 50%.
• King's Bounty: Armored Princess on Steam. Save 10%.
• King's Bounty: The Legend on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Kingdom Elemental: Tactics on Impulse. Save 25%.
• LucasArts Premier Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 60%.
• LucasArts "There's Action, Adventure & Puzzles" Bundle on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Luxor Complete Pack on Steam. Save 50%.
• Luxor Games on Steam. Save 70%.
• Nemesis of the Roman Empire on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Ninja Blade on Steam. Save 10%.
• Prince of Persia on Impulse. Save 25%.
• Rogue Warrior on Steam. Save 10% on pre-purchases.
• Rush for Berlin Gold on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Sango 2 & Takeda 3 on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Scrapland on Impulse. Save 33%.
• SFI Mission 4-Pack on the Strategy First Website. Four games for $19.99.
• Shattered Horizon on Steam. Three guest passes with previous and new purchases.
• Star Wars Classics Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures on Steam. Save 50%.
• Supreme Commander Gold on Impulse. Save 25%.
• THQ Classic FPS Bundle on Impulse. Save 25%.
• Tropico Reloaded on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Warlords Battlecry III on Impulse. Save 33%.
• X-Com Complete Pack on GamersGate. Save 40%.

• Arsenal of Democracy on the Paradox Interactive Forums. Dev Diary #11 - National Ideas & Modding.

• Xbox LIVE Gold Free Today Through Monday.
• Rock Band DLC Week of 11/24 - Tom Petty Live 6 Pack, Kellly Clarkson, P!nk & The Go-Go's.
• The Making of The Beatles: Rock Band on VH1 & Holiday Gift Ideas.
• Section 8 Title Update 1 for the Xbox 360 launches Monday.
• SEGA announces winner of Maxim.com Bayonetta contest.
• Demo: Jurassic: The Hunted on Xbox LIVE.
• Banned Xbox modders NOT one-million.
• Opinion: Why Nintendo Needs to Get Social on IndustryGamers.
• Church Simulator 'Mass- We Pray' Revealed To Be 'Dante's Inferno' Publicity Stunt.

• iPhone Piracy: The Inside Story.
• Blackberry pledges commitment to developer support.

• Nielsen Ratings Coming to Video Games…
• Here's a Dragon Age Origins Newbie Guide and
• Dragon Age Nexus now hosts over 50 DA mods. Thanks Acleacius via RPGWatch…
• MidnightRidersBand's YouTube Channel is online for this L4D2 teaser situation. Thanks Destructoid…

Link of the Day: Disneyland Made Out Of Lego. Thanks Mike Martinez via Digg. It's a small world after all.

Electronic Arts announces the Team Racing pack, the first downloadable content for Need for Speed SHIFT, the latest installment in the racing series. The DLC is due on December 1, and while the press release only mentions the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions, we have confirmed with EA that the DLC will be released for the Windows edition of the racing sequel on December 1 as well. Here's a bit on what to expect:

The Team Racing mode brings a fresh new challenge to SHIFT by completely redefining online racing. In this mode, two teams of up to six racers will battle against each other for online supremacy. Individual driving strategy and playing it safe won't work as team tactics and 200 mph split-second decisions are required to push your team to the podium.

As part of the new content, players will also get access to these legendary racers:

. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
. 1967 Shelby GT-500
. 1969 Dodge Charger R/T
. 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T
. 1998 Toyota Supra Mark IV

The Team Racing content pack is custom-made for Need for Speed SHIFT, a spectacular racing game originally released in September 2009. The game introduces a brutal first-person crash dynamic and a signature cockpit view that delivers a true driver's experience. The game further personalizes the experience through the all-new driver profile -- a unique persona based on the driving skill and style of each player.

Futuremark Games Studio sends news that a new patch rolled out last night on Steam for Shattered Horizon. Though Steam announced the availability of new guest passes for the zero-G first-person shooter, they are mum about the patch, so here are the patch notes, outlining new control options, game changes, and bug fixes.

NowGamer has some excerpts from an interview with id Software's Tim Willits from an upcoming issue of Total PC Gaming magazine about RAGE, id's upcoming shooting and driving action game. The id Creative Director explains the game will feature many classic weapons from previous id Software games as well as some "new and unique" RAGE weapons. He doesn't specify which weapons they are choosing from a past arsenal that includes the lightning gun, nail guns, and of course the BFG, but he does say: "We are focusing not only on great weapons, but on engineering items that will add to the variety of gameplay. We will also have multiple ammo types available for a number of the weapons." The blurb also touches on economics: "Rage also has an economy where you are allowed to choose how you spend your money earned through combat and racing."

An update to the Battle.net Forums has the latest on the seemingly endless saga of the upcoming version 1.13 patch for Diablo II (thanks Rhialto). Blizzard's desire to update their action/RPG which is now over nine years old is laudable, so it seems forgivable that this patch has been in the works since at least March, about 8% of the game's lifespan (though the record for this is probably the 14-month development of Battlefield 2 1.50, which was over a quarter of the game's lifespan at that point). Word is the expanded stash that was holding things up has been dropped, but that the patch is still a ways off:

We've recently completed a revised version of the Diablo II 1.13 patch that removes the increased stash size. A larger stash will unfortunately no longer be a feature included in patch 1.13 due to the previously mentioned concerns. As higher priority work continues on Warcraft III we're hoping to complete our quality assurance tests for the 1.13 patch in the next few weeks. But as always, the types of issues that may appear and take higher priority are rarely foreseeable. We continue to plan a release based on our best intentions.

Dedicated servers are the new black, thanks to Modern Warfare 2, and GamesIndustry.biz has word from Rebellion that Aliens versus Predator will include dedicated server support. "Despite rumours, Rebellion has always been planning to support dedicated servers for Aliens vs Predator PC and we can now officially confirm that this is the case. Rebellion has always appreciated fan support," says Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley of their upcoming first-person shooter remake. "We're really looking forward to the release of Aliens vs Predator as much as you guys are!"

There's an exclusive Serious Sam HD launch date trailer on Eurogamer, which they point out reveals a November 24 release date for Croteam's shooter remake, which is available for pre-purchase on Steam. "Over the past years we have had loads of fans requesting that we bring the world of Serious Sam up to date and give him a high-definition makeover," says Croteam CEO Roman Ribaric. "The reaction we have had since we announced we were working on Sam has been simply amazing."

1C Company and Katauri Interactive announce the release of King's Bounty: Armored Princess, which is available through digital distribution on Direct2Drive, GamersGate, Impulse, and Steam (10% off), with retail release plans to be announced at a future date. Here's a bit on the game from the announcement:

This new world of King's Bounty: Armored Princess is full of mysteries and dangers. The new character, the Princess, will encounter horrible creatures, huge monstrous bosses and a new race, the bloodthirsty Lizardmen. As in the multi-award winning 1st game, the player has many options to resist these new enemies. Various new skills and abilities, as well as her flying steed, will help her overcome the hordes attacking the kingdom. The Princess is also accompanied by a tamed dragon, at the very beginning it is small, but its abilities develop steadily until it becomes an incredible ally. The dragon will do its best to protect the Princess during the battles, starting with simple attacks and treasure hunting and finishing with fire breathing and volcano summoning.

The Saboteur Facebook page has reassurances for those who live in areas where a "softened" version of The Saboteur will be sold that it will not have any less gore and violence than the non-censored version of Pandemic's upcoming WW2 action/stealth game. Word is it will just remove some of the German symbols: "The Saboteur Community Update: I know many people have messaged me & have asked about softened versions of the game. In general the softened versions of The Saboteur only remove Swastikas from the game. The options for blood, nudity, language etc... are still available in ALL regions." There's also a post about the game on IncGamers where Tom French explains its GTA-style wanted levels.

The N3V Games Website now lists February 18, 2010 as the Australian release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Prypriat, GSC Game World's upcoming first-person shooter sequel. This may be a hint about when to expect the game in North America, where it carries a Q1 2010 release window. Thanks The Patches Scrolls.

A new patch for The Sims 3: World Adventures updates the just-released lifestyle sim expansion to version 2.2.8. The patch offers the same fix "for save file incompatibilities that result in the Error Code 16 error message while saving" as yesterday's The Sims 3 patch, explaining why the game's website listed it as version 1.7/2.2. The patch is available from The Patches Scrolls and WorthPlaying.

There's a Jesse Stern interview on GamePro talking with the scriptwriter for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 about a number of pertinent topics, including the controversial airport mission. "People have really strong reactions to the airport scene and it's been fascinating because we all wanted to make it something that would be upsetting, disturbing, but also something people relate to," he says of the airport scenario. "As for the effect it has on you, that's not for us to determine. Hopefully, it does have an emotional impact and it seems to have riled up a lot of people in interesting ways. Some of them good. Some of them bad." He also describes how testing that level went:

When we tested the level, it was interesting. Steve Mancuda, who ran a lot of the testing, said people would get angry or sad or disgusted and immediately wonder what the Hell was going on here. And then after a few moments of having that experience, they would remember that they were in a video game and they would let go. Every single person in testing opened fire on the crowd, which is human nature. It feels so real but at the same time it's a video game and the response to it has been fascinating. I never really knew you could elicit such a deep feeling from a video game, but it has.

Real World Hero is a City of Heroes-inspired drive too benefit three charities: Child's Play, Donate Games, and Operation Gratitude. Word is: "As players, we cooperate to run Task Forces, to take down zombies and Rikti Invaders, and to occasionally gather for a costume contest or two. When we leave the game, our super powers don’t come with us…but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless. We are a very large group of people. We -can- step up and become Real World Heroes."

A new version 3.1 client for Games for Windows LIVE is now available. Word on the update is it updates the in-game client to support DirectX 11 for future titles and make finding content for games easier along with some bug fixes.

• Assassin’s Creed II Tunes to be Played in Paris.

The Game Reviews - Games Journalism and the Race Against Quality.
The potential problem is that more than simply having an ability to stay up to date, many games websites also have a vice-like imperative to stay up to date. These sites compete with each other to get their content online before their rivals, so they can gain larger readerships and thus acquire greater advertising revenue. I’m eager to refer to this specifically as a potential problem, because in many cases it is a good thing; driven by competition, content is genuinely provided far quicker than magazines could ever hope to. The problem comes if this system encourages websites to put up poorly thought out, poorly edited content, lured by the rewards that come with being the first to interview an industry luminary, cover a major event, or perhaps most dangerously of all, review a new release.

GameSetWatch - The Lion's Gate - Majors And Indie Publishing.
I hear a lot of bitching that innovation is dead in America. That’s a lie. The problem is that we have two industries at odds, neither of which is really equipped to present innovations to the masses.

First off, we have the indie community, which bewails its unrecognized genius and occasionally screams “sellout!” whenever someone in the community actually manages to make a hit.

Then we have the AAA industry, which often claims that it can’t take the kind of risks that innovation requires, given how expensive it is to make a AAA game -- and yet manages to make multi-million dollar flops all the time anyway.

Ars Technica - The reasons you need to buy Left 4 Dead 2 on PC.
The ability to find the best servers creates a more consistent online experience, Steam offers a great way to make sure you always have someone you know to play with, and the mouse and keyboard are much more accurate than playing with a controller. I don't want to start a flame war here, but if you have a decent gaming system, the PC version is less expensive, offers more content, will be updated more frequently, and has better controls. The game also scales wonderfully; I can play it on my MacBook Pro at a good framerate and it looks fine, but on my desktop I can crank the detail and have it look much better than even the 360 version.

• Bayonetta nabs rare Edge 10/10.
• 'Sony iTunes' coming early 2010.
• Microsoft plans free Live weekends.
• Worms 2- Armageddon update released.

• Left 4 Dead 2 maxed out - Source Engine on highest quality.
• Unearth Region-Specific Windows 7 Themes.
• What Happens When You Bring a 22-Year-Old Mac to the Genius Bar? Thanks ^Drag0n^.

• The Top 10 Internet Moments of the Decade. Thanks Mike Martinez.
• FAA computer problem causes widespread delays. Thanks Ant via Slashdot.
• The case of the vulgar comment and the school. Follow-up. Thanks Ralph.
• Oh Look, Some Police Do Know How To Use Craigslist As A Tool.
• Move over Taylor Swift- Make way for 1st Twitter music album.
• Second Life To Remove Free Content From Web Search.

• Beware of the '12 Scams of Christmas'.
• NSA role in Windows 7 development raises privacy concerns. Thanks Mike Martinez.
• Security pro says new SSL attack can hit many sites.
• Check every day? … Geesh, the identity thieves have won.
• Microsoft finds security flaw in Google Chrome Frame. Thanks Slashdot.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• An introduction to the FBI's anti-cyber crime network.
• Are The Record Labels Using Bluebeat's Bogus Copyright Defense To Avoid Having To Give Copyrights Back To Artists?
• 2 sites selling Beatles songs to remain shut down. The "psycho-acoustic simulation" defense fails?
• FTC threatens fines, jail for online check service operators.
• We See Your 'Copyright Contributes $1.5 Trillion' And Raise You 'Fair Use Contributes $2.2 Trillion'.

Thanks The Crypt.

• Dragon Age: Origins on LazyGamer and Strategy Informer.
• East India Company on GDN.
• Football Manager 2010 on Strategy Informer.
• League of Legends on bit-tech.net and GamingHeaven.net.
• Left 4 Dead 2 on Gameplanet, Games On Net, and VideoGamer.com.
• Majesty 2 - The Fantasy Kingdom Sim on Fragland.net.
• RACE On on Eurogamer.
• Shattered Horizon on AusGamers.com.
• Tales of Monkey Island: The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood on The Hachiko.
• Tropico 3 on 2404.
• WorldShift on GameSpot.
• Wolfenstein on Gamepyre.com.

• AXUS FiT 500E Five-Bay RAID DAS Server on TweakTown.
• Cooler Master Choiix Accu-Mouse Wireless Optical Mouse on OverclockersHQ.com.
• CoolerMaster Sileo 500 Case on Ninjalane.com.
• Cooler Master SNA95 Slim Universal Notebook Adapter on ThinkComputers.org.
• Cooler Master Sniper Black Case on UMLan.
• HP TouchSmart 300-1025 Desktop PC on TechReviewSource.com.
• HTC Hero Cell Phone on InsideHW.
• inWin Maelstrom Case on Technic3D. In German.
• Leadtek GT 220 Graphics Card on Bjorn3D.com.
• Lian Li Armorsuit PC-P50 Case on PureOC.
• MSI NF980-E65 Motherboard on PC Perspective.
• OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Intel XMP LV 4GB on Neoseeker.
• Ozone SMOG Gaming Mouse on Guru3D.
• Palit GeForce GT 240 Sonic 1 GB Graphics Card on techPowerUp.
• QNAP TS-419P Turbo NAS 4-Bay Network Storage Server on Benchmark Reviews.
• Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Graphics Card on XSReviews.co.uk.
• Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 OC Graphics Card on Overclockers Club.
• Seagate Barracuda XT 2 TB Hard Disk Drive on Hardware Secrets.
• SilverStone SG04B-H Case on TechwareLabs.
• Thermaltake BlacX Duet HDD Docking Station on OCIA.net.

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Walkthrough on [OC]ModShop…

We had a pretty serious thunderstorm last night, a very unusual event for late November in the northeast, when a blizzard would be more expected. I spent a couple of hours comforting Hudson the wonder dog as the storms always freak her out, and the poor thing was shaking from head to toe. Now I get to learn the pain of trying to get over a sleep-deprived night without the benefit of coffee. Ouch.

Thunderous Links:	Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez.
Play:	Forever Samurai.
Link:	Honest HBO Warnings.
Stories:	The Real Fred Flintstone. Thanks Devicer. TRON Legacy Producer on Preserving the Original TRON dna and More. No Dope- Ft. Lauderdale Man to Smoke 115,000th Joint.
Science:	Tests loom for record solar plane. Study Shows Memories May Be Enhanced By Sleep.
Images:	Invaded Space. Thanks Boing Boing. Pelittaako's photosets. With classic C-64 Ads. Thanks Rapsunapsu via eDome.
Media:	What if Earth had rings like Saturn? Guns 'n Gardens: How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. So You Cant Afford a Moving Truck !! OK.
Auctions:	Ultimate NVIDIA 3D Vision Gaming PC - Charity Auction.
The Funnies:	xkcd.

Atari announces a two-week open beta for Star Trek Online will commence on January 12 and that signups for the test are now being accepted for Cryptic's Trekkie MMORPG on the Star Trek Online Website on a first-come, fist served basis. "We are excited to announce the dates for the open beta phase as this is one of the final steps in launching Star Trek Online to the public," says executive producer Craig Zinkievich. "We are looking forward to the launch of our first-of-a-kind MMORPG with anticipation and excitement and we expect Star Trek Online to explode onto the scene, giving fans and gamers a Star Trek experience like no other."

NHN Corporation announces open beta testing of their fantasy-themed action MMORPG Karos Online will commence on December 4, and that a final closed beta event will run on November 27-28 allowing testers to experience some high-level content and to reserve their characters' names for the open beta. Details on the game can be found on the Karos Online Website, and here's word on how to apply: "To apply for beta participation, simply create an account at www.karosgame.com and click 'Apply Now'. If you have been accepted into a previous beta event, you will receive instructions two to three days before the event begins (there is no need to re-apply)."

The StarCraft II Website has a load of new content. There's a Short Story titled Changeling, an article on single player Storytelling and another on Multiplayer Mapmaking. They also have character biographies for Tychus, Zeratul, and Raynor. Finally, they have some new concept art and some new screenshots.

A new video developer's diary is online for James Cameron's Avatar: The Game, the upcoming shooter that ties in with the upcoming James Cameron film. The diary is available on Gamer's Hell and WorthPlaying. GameTrailers also has two gameplay movies: Game, Boss Monster Battle and Exploration & Combat. Also, in-game item preorder bonuses for the game are listed on Direct2Drive and Impulse (where they are also offering a Special Edition). Those who preorder will receive Dual Wasps (RDA faction) and a Fighting Staff (Na'vi faction).

A new "Battlefield Moments" trailer from Battlefield: Bad Company 2 showing off combat on the beta version of the Arica Harbor map in the first-person shooter sequel. Word on the Battlefield Blog is: "See ‘Destruction 2.0’ in full effect as a sniper fights his way through the war-torn streets of Arica Harbor in order to secure a valuable objective for his team." The clip is available on the YouTube and mirrored on FileFront, Gamer's Hell, Strategy Informer, and Worthplaying.

A new "He's A Killer" trailer from BioShock 2 shows off more multiplayer mayhem from 2K's upcoming waterlogged first-person shooter sequel. The clip is posted on ActionTrip, AtomicGamer, Filefront, Gamer's Hell, and WorthPlaying.

The new game on GameTap for subscribers of this gaming service is Damnation, the steampunk shooter released earlier this year by Codemasters. Their free game for non-subscribers continues to be Battlestations: Midway, the World War II action/strategy hybrid. They also announce Praetorians and Jewel Craft have joined their growing collection of 64-bit compatible offerings.

Steam News has word on a new automatic update for Killing Floor that closes off several exploits in Tripwire Interactive's co-op zombie shooter and reduces the memory footprint of the game client.

An updated version 2.5.0.5 of the PrBoom+ port of the DOOM source code is now available as well as a newer version 2.5.0.6.test. If you are not familiar, here is what it is: "Doom-plus is a patched version of the original DOS exe for Doom2 (version 1.9) with increased limits to reduce the risk of crashes, premature program exits and certain visual problems. This is done without loss of compatibility - in other respects, Doom-plus behaves exactly like the original DOS exe. Dehacked patches can be applied as normal, for instance, and any demo that plays back correctly with Doom2.exe will also play back with Doom-plus." This Change Log has word on what's new. Thanks Ant via LinuxGames.

• 2010 Global Game Jam Registration Opens this Weekend.
• The Alganon Immortal Contest. Create a permanent resident NPC in the world of Alganon.

GameStop Black Friday sales include Left 4 Dead 2 at $29.99.

• 48 Hour Madness on GoGamer.
• Aliens vs. Predator on GameStop. Preorder and get three exclusive multiplayer skins.
• Blood Bowl Dark Elves Edition on Steam. Save 10% on pre-purchases.
• Capitalism II on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Crayon Physics Deluxe on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Frontlines: Fuel of War on Steam. Save 75%.
• Grand Theft Auto IV on Direct2Drive. Now $29.95.
• Hacker Evolution - Untold on Impulse.
• Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile - Alexandria on Impulse. Save 50%.
• Iron Grip Warlord on Impulse. Save 50%.
• King's Bounty: Armored Princess on Steam. Save 10%.
• King's Bounty: The Legend on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Kingdom Elemental: Tactics on Impulse. Save 25%.
• LucasArts Premier Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 60%.
• LucasArts "There's Action, Adventure & Puzzles" Bundle on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Nemesis of the Roman Empire on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Ninja Blade on Steam. Save 10%.
• Prince of Persia on Impulse. Save 25%.
• Rush for Berlin Gold on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Sango 2 & Takeda 3 on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Scrapland on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Shattered Horizon on Steam. Three guest passes with previous and new purchases.
• Star Wars Classics Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures on Steam. Save 50%.
• Supreme Commander Gold on Impulse. Save 25%.
• Tropico Reloaded on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Warlords Battlecry III on Impulse. Save 33%.
  
  Still on sale (previously reported)
   
• AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! - A Reckless Disregard for Gravity on Steam. Save 50%.
• Alganon on Direct2Drive. Preorder and get beta access and in-game items.
• Capitalism II on Impulse. Save 33%.
• Colin McRae DiRT 2 on Steam. Pre-purchase and save 80% on DiRT.
• Crayon Physics Deluxe on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Dungeon Siege II Expansion Pack on GamerDeals. Only $1.99. Thanks Batman.
• Elven Legacy on GamersGate. Save 50%.
• Evochron Legends on GamersGate. Save 20%.
• Grappling Hook on SpeedRunGames. Now $14.95.
• Luxor Complete Pack on Steam. Save 50%.
• Luxor Games on Steam. Save 70%.
• Plants vs. Zombies on PCGameStore. Only $6.99.
• Quantz on Steam. Save 50%.
• Rogue Warrior on Steam. Save 10% on pre-purchases.
• SFI Mission 4-Pack on the Strategy First Website. Four games for $19.99.
• Star Wars Classics Pack on Direct2Drive. Save 50%.
• Team Fortress 2 on Best Buy and FRYS.com. Only $9.99. Thanks Johnny.
• THQ Classic FPS Bundle on Impulse. Save 25%.
• X-Com Complete Pack on GamersGate. Save 40%.

• Armada 2526 on IGN.

• Anarchy Online: Lost Eden on Eurogamer.
• StarCraft II on GameInfoWire.

• New York Tests Xbox-Based Alert System. Thanks Slashdot.
• Sony: Expect 3-D PS3 Games Next Year.
• Zelda 'surprise' planned for E3 2010. Thanks Ant.
• Go bananas! with Manic Monkey Mayhem now available on WiiWare.
• Electric Playground TV Checks Out Lost Planet 2.
• Resident Evil 5 goes for the Gold.
• Blitz Arcade and NAMCO BANDAI release Kung-Fu fighter on PlayStation Network Europe.
• Ace Attorney trio filing onto WiiWare.
• Buffalo Grove boy dials 911 after parents take away his Xbox video game. Thanks Mike Martinez via CNET.
• No More Heroes: Heroes Paradise Xbox 360 Screenshots.
• Resident Evil 5 Downloadable Content Xbox 360 Screenshots.

• The Apple Tablet Is Dead. Thanks Mike Martinez.
• Why Verizon Customers will love WHS.
• New Wolfenstein 3D Classic Source Code (lower left corner). Thanks Frans.
• The Treasures of Montezuma 2 Discovered on iPhone and iPod Touch Today.
• Audubon Guides Go Mobile, Put Nature at Users’ Fingertips.
• Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Game now available for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Intel- Chips in brains will control computers by 2020. Thanks Slashdot.
• Nvidia’s Gamers Helped It Win Big Business. Thanks Neutronbeam.
• Apple already working on Mac OS X 10.7.
• Google Releases Chromium OS open source. Thanks Slashdot.
• Calif. Requires TVs to Be More Energy-Efficient.
• Apple QuickTime version 7.6.5 is now available. Thanks Ant.
• Matrox Powers 8 Displays With A Single Card.
• PC Perspective - Podcast #82.

Thanks Mike Martinez.

• Modern Warfare 2 hidden gametypes cannot actually be accessed…
• China Wants Fewer Monsters, More 'culture' in Online Games…
• Singapore Takes Stake in China's Shanda Games…

Link of the Day: Pulp Mario. Thanks Ant via Neatorama.

Brad Pitt's Plan B and Indian media conglomerate Reliance Big Pictures have signed a deal with Capcom to develop a feature film based on Dark Void, the upcoming action game, reports Variety. According to the report, Pitt himself may star in the movie as the game's jetpack-powered hero.

Mastertronic announces some details about Divinity II - Ego Draconis, Larian's RPG sequel that will be released tomorrow in the UK. In addition Mastertronic (a new company using that game, not the original) also has released four new screenshots from the game. Word is:

Mastertronic has today announced the forthcoming release of Divinity II - Ego Draconis on PC and Xbox360. The action - RPG sequel to the critically acclaimed Divine Divinity, Divinity II - Ego Draconis transports players back to the wide-open world of Rivellon, where they'll face the ultimate challenge of becoming a Dragon Knight. With up to 60 hours of gameplay, and the ability to play as either a knight or a dragon, Divinity II offers players an expansive experience packed full of lands to explore, dungeons to conquer and plenty of exhilarating ground and aerial combat.

In this new instalment in the award-winning Divinity series, you must face your destiny and know that the choices you make will determine the gameplay and inevitably, your fate. Players begin as a Dragon Slayer; hunters who roam the countryside, determined to rid the land of dragons. However, as the story unfolds, the player discovers new abilities as they evolve into a legendary Dragon Knight. Learn their secrets and use the ability to change between human and dragon forms to maximise your tactical advantage and reclaim the lands of Rivellon.

Square Enix announces a March 2, 2010 North American release date for the Windows edition of Supreme Commander 2, following yesterday's announcement of a Spring European release date for the real-time strategy sequel from Gas Powered Games. They also announce a March 16 release date for the Xbox 360 edition of the game. "The partnership with Square Enix has been a highlight of my career," says Chris Taylor, founder and Creative Director of Gas Powered Games. "I couldn't be more proud of what the team has accomplished, as the game has continually exceeded all of my expectations throughout its development."

A story on the Consumerist complains of problems running a copy of Warlords Battlecry III bought on Impulse (thanks nin). The poster attributes the problems with random items and wonky NPCs to DRM, saying Stardock is aware of the problem, but refuses to address it in spite of a patch that's available and their very public stance against intrusive DRM. We contacted Stardock and they say that Enlight has repeatedly assured them the game has no DRM, and that there's nothing preventing users from applying this third-party patch:

This is nonsense. I have gone to Enlight 3 times about this and Trevor Chan himself has assured me each time (to the point of annoyance) that we have the latest version of Warlords Battlecry 3 and that is has NO DRM.

What people complain about is that there are fan patches that fix some of the bugs in the last official version (which is what we sell). We are not authorized to distribute a fan-patched version of Warlords Battlecry 3, but there’s nothing that stops customers from applying those updates themselves.

Update: We are also informed by Stardock that the author of that complaint received a 100% refund days ago, and that "Impulse is the only digital retailer that provides refunds for people who do have technical issues for whatever reason."

BioWare announces Return to Ostagar, new downloadable content to be released for Dragon Age: Origins this holiday season. Here's word on the new DLC for the recently released RPG:

The DLC pack, Return to Ostagar, allows players to exact their revenge and embark on a quest for the mighty arms and armor of the once great King Cailan when they revisit Ostagar, the site of the Grey Wardens’ darkest hour, to reclaim the honor and learn the secrets of Ferelden’s fallen king.
…
Return to Ostagar, BioWare’s next thread in the Dragon Age: Origins tapestry, summons players to a new quest in which they will return to the fateful battleground in Ostagar where the Grey Wardens were nearly wiped out. Players will discover King Cailan’s top-secret political agenda and go behind enemy lines to revisit a place that many feared had been lost to history.

2K Games announces plans for the BioShock 2 Special Edition for Games for Windows LIVE, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, a limited release that will be restricted to a single production run. Here's a photo of the package's contents, which seem particularly aimed at audiophiles, as it includes an LP. The Windows edition will carry an MSRP of $89.99 and the console versions are ten dollars more. Here's word on the contents:

The BioShock 2 Special Edition celebrates the game’s unique music and art with contents inspired by the time period and the fantastic undersea world of Rapture.

     • Vinyl 180g LP with BioShock orchestral score

     • Audio CD with BioShock 2 orchestral score

     • Three vintage Rapture advertisement posters (rolled)

     • BioShock 2 Art Book, 164 pages and hardcover

     • BioShock 2 game

The Sims 3 Website announces another new patch for The Sims 3 is now available, updating the lifestyle simulation sequel to version 1.7. The patch offers a: "Fix for save file incompatibilities that result in the Error Code 16 error message while saving." The patch is mirrored on AtomicGamer, Filefront, The Patches Scrolls, and Worthplaying.

The Cyanide Studio Forum announces the release of the free Dark Elves add-on for Blood Bowl, which adds a new playable race to the fantasy-themed sports game. The add-on is part of a new version 1.1.2.1 patch, which is mirrored on AtomicGamer, FileFront, The Patches Scrolls, and Worthplaying. Also, as of today a new Blood Bowl: Dark Elves Edition is on sale in Europe including the new content.

A new patch for Field of Glory updates the just-released wargame system from Slitherine Strategies to version 1.01. A large number of changes and fixes are included in the 12 MB patch, which is available from FileFront, The Patches Scrolls, and Worthplaying.

Atari announces Nemesis Confrontation, a special event for Champions Online, Cryptic's superhero MMORPG that will kick off on November 24. The event will overlap with a free weekend that will run from November 26-30 allowing a free sample of the game, and they are also planning a developer chat tomorrow where the event will be one of the topics at hand. You can post questions to this forum thread and connect to the chat through this link tomorrow at 7:00 pm EST. This page has details on the event, and here's a bit from the announcement:

"We wanted to take our unique Nemesis System to the next level and do something really awesome with it," said Bill Roper, Executive Producer of Champions Online. "So we asked ourselves, what if your Nemesis could band together with your buddy's Nemesis to take you on? Epic."

Players will learn that their uniquely handcrafted Nemeses are trying to create a rift into another dimension in a plot to take over the Champions Universe. To save the world, a band of superheroes will need to defeat their ultimate enemies, as well as a host of dangerous alien gladiators and prison guards in an all new environment. The Nemesis Confrontation event will also launch alongside a free weekend of play that takes place between November 26 and November 30.

The iEntertainment Network announces Dogfights will take off in January 2010, offering Windows and Mac gamers a single-player installment in their WarBirds series of World War II combat flight simulators. As a bonus, those who purchase the game will get a 30-day free trial of the MMOG Warbirds (though it should be pointed out a free one month Warbirds trial is available to all with no purchase necessary). Here's a bit on the game:

Gamers choose one of three levels of pilot expertise: Rookie, Pilot, or the highly skilled Ace. They can select among 100 historically accurate aircraft to meet an armada of incoming aircraft in over 40 combat mission combinations. With its dynamic game engine, no two air battles will ever be the same. In each air battle the player can score points, build rank, and acquire medals to compete for the coveted title of WGFP – Worlds’ Greatest Fighter Pilot!

Players can fly over multiple historical terrains including England, Europe, and North Africa, including many of the great cities like London, Paris, and Berlin. Players can participate in Pacific battle campaigns over the Philippines and Midway terrains.

A playable demo is now available for Men of War: Red Tide, providing the chance to check out this sequel to BestWay's World War II RTS (Red Tide was announced as a standalone expansion, a distinction that seems purely cosmetic). Accompanying the demo is news that Red Tide will be released in North America on December 1 in a Men of War Gold Edition that also includes the first Men of War. The demo is available from AtomicGamer, ComputerGames.ro, Gamer's Hell, Strategy Informer, The Patches Scrolls, and Worthplaying.

A Midnight Riders teaser website is online, saying "coming soon." This may be about the Allman Brothers, but the site is owned by Valve, so it's more likely about the band from the Dark Carnival campaign in Left 4 Dead 2. DLC? Tour dates? We'll see. Thanks Destructoid.

bitComposer Games announces Alter Ego, a gothic horror-themed point-and-click adventure game planned for release in the first quarter of next year for Windows and Wii. The game is in the works at Czech developer Future Games (Black Mirror and Nibiru). Word is:

Alter Ego takes virtual gamers to the town of Plymouth in the South of England as the 19th century draws to a close. A series of gruesome murders shakes both the town and the entire region after a strange aristocrat dies who was the subject of many horrifying myths in his lifetime. Players can discover and investigate the various scenes as they alternate between two totally different heroes, the thief Timothy Moor and Police Detective Bristol, to slowly reveal a dark secret.

Slitherine Strategies now offers online sales of a digital version of the Field of Glory gaming system for Windows PCs, offering a computerized version of the Field of Glory tabletop gaming system. Word is:

Field of Glory is a wargame system for PC that covers the ancient and medieval worlds. The initial release covers during the Rise of Rome from Zama in North Africa to the battles of Boudicca’s revolt in Britain. Later releases will expand to new periods and new areas of the ancient and medieval world. Based on the popular Field of Glory tabletop wargaming system from Slitherine (www.fieldofglory.com), the PC version takes care of all the calculations and measurements and just leaves you to make the important and fun decisions.

Inspired by the Field of Glory tabletop wargaming system the PC edition has an easy to use interface with a focus on having a fun game. In particular it is very easy to play multi-player against other users across the internet.

Mammoth Media offers a Adobe Acrobat-format dedicated server guide for developers and publishers based on over a decade of running game servers. Word is: "This document provides high-level information about what makes good dedicated server software, including a list of things you should do, as well as things you should definitely not do."

GameStop Corp. net income rises 12% has word that profits were up for the third quarter at GameStop, in spite of a global recession, the widely reported decline in gaming, and the even more widely reported shift to digital distribution. Word is: "third-quarter net income rose 12% to $52.2 million, or 31 cents a share, from $46.7 million, or 28 cents a share in the year-ago period. Sales at the Grapevine, Texas video game retailer rose 8% to $1.83 billion."

• Montreal International Game Summit: Political, Economic and Social Momentum for the Industry.
• Vendetta Online 21 Day Free Trial Offer. Celebrating its 5th anniversary. Thanks Ant via LinuxGames.

CNET - Online gaming's dirty little secret. Online jerks are a secret?
Fast-forward to the current generation of games, and hearing racial epithets like the "n word" or homophobic slang like the "f word" shouted online is more commonplace than you might want to believe. Meanwhile, women who play in the male-dominated world of online gaming sometimes find themselves the victims of sexually suggestive comments and gender-based taunting.

While this type of behavior and language is actively discouraged in polite society, that mindset is totally disregarded by some in the online gaming world. Odds are that if you play enough online, you'll experience it firsthand.

IncGamers - Lowest Common Denominator.
As if you hadn’t guessed already, this week we’re talking about the frankly mystifying concept of fanboyism. You see, in technical terms, fanboyism is a deeply disturbing phenomenon, exposing the dark side of capitalism. OK, another dark side of capitalism. Fanboyism goes beyond simple brand loyalty into the shady world of submission and unquestioning adoration, hinting at a mental relationship between consumer and product that verges on the obsessional. Fanboys are delusional, they are unwaveringly loyal and scarily quick to resort to abuse in order to defend their beloved console. Fanboys are Whitney Houston at the height of her crack phase.

• Battlefield Bad Company 2 beta live.
• First Borderlands DLC hits November 24, brings zombies. PC version later.
• PS3 sales up 70% in October.
• GameZone teens go one-on-one with Tony Hawk for RIDE.

• Turn a Windows 7 Laptop into a Wi-Fi Hotspot.
• THQ Wireless Launches Star Wars: Trench Run Game for the iPhone.

• NVIDIA Pushes 3D Vision Outside the Gaming Box.
• Radeon HD 5970 Overclocking Guide.
• IBM makes supercomputer significantly smarter than cat.
• Apple's Mini DisplayPort becomes official VESA spec.

• Bing Gains 10% marketshare – Reaching towards Google. Thanks Slashdot.
• Firefox 3.6 locks out rogue add-ons. Thanks Slashdot.
• Paper outs "anonymous" commenter, job loss ensues.
• Only Disconnect. On life without the internet. Thanks j.c.f.
• Finland, Spain bringing 1Mbps broadband to everyone.
• Spurring IPv6 upgrades through -cash for (network) clunkers.
• JavaScript, graphics performance improvements on tap for IE9.
• MSN Videos becomes Bing Videos.

• "Discount club" scams filch billions from online shoppers.
• Experts: Smart grid poses privacy risks. Thanks Slashdot.

• Banned Xbox LIVE Users To Sue?
• Ethics leaks spur House bill banning P2P apps on .gov PCs.
• Microsoft ordered to halt Win XP sales in China. Thanks Slashdot.
• Storm8 Responds To iPhone Games Lawsuit.
• Hollywood wants to own your outputs (and that's a good idea). Thanks Mike Martinez.
• Ars responds to Big Cable- TV networks nothing like an iPod. Follows the above.
• Pirates navigate around Windows 7 activation again.
• Two arrested for Zbot Trojan. Thanks Slashdot.

Thanks The Crypt.

• Aion on GameSpy.
• Borderlands on Games Abyss and The Game Reviews.
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on GameZone, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Tech-Out, and That VideoGame Blog.
• Cooking Dash: DinerTown Studios on Den of Geek.
• Crane Simulator 2009 on Eurogamer.
• Dragon Age: Origins on GameRevolution, Tech-Out, and Zero Punctuation. NSFW. Thanks Ant.
• Elven Legacy: Ranger on Adrenaline Vault.
• Football Manager 2010 on Boomtown and Ultra Ninjas.
• Gratuitous Space Battles on AtomicGamer and Out of Eight.
• Hero Mages on GDN.
• Hidden Expedition: Devil's Triangle on Adventure Gamers.
• Left 4 Dead 2 on AusGamers, Big Download, bit-tech.net, GameSpot, Games Radar, Giantbomb, and SmashPad.
• Left 4 Dead 2 censored Aussie version on GameSpot.
• LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues on IGN.
• Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy on GameShark.
• New Star Soccer 2010 on Unigamesity.
• Shattered Horizon on GamerNode, Games32, Gamesonice, and Test Freaks.
• Star Wars: The Force Unleashed- Ultimate Sith Edition on Games32.
• The Sims 3: World Adventures on GamePro and IGN.
• Torchlight on 1UP, IGN, Kotaku, and Strategy Informer. Thanks nin.

• A-DATA SH93 Waterproof and Shock Resistant Portable HDD on TweakTown.
• Antec Notebook Cooler 200 on Benchmark Reviews.
• ASUS Maximus III Formula LGA1156 Motherboard on Hardware Canucks.
• ATI Radeon HD 5970 Graphics Card on The Tech Report, TrustedReviews, and TweakTown.
• Clip and Talk Bluetooth Car Kit – Solar Edition Bona Fide on Reviews.
• Elixir 6 GB 1600 MHz CL9 Tri-Channel RAM Kit on techPowerUp.
• GIGABYTE G41M-ES2L Motherboard on Hardware Secrets.
• GIGABYTE GA-MA790FXT-UD5P Motherboard on Technic3D. In German.
• HP DM3 Laptop/Netbook on TechwareLabs.
• Inno3D Geforce GT 220 Graphics Card on Overclockers Club.
• Kingston HyperX 4GB 2133MHz DDR3 Dual Channel Memory Kit on Futurelooks.
• Kingston SSDNow V Series 40GB Boot Drive on PureOC.
• Logitech Harmony 700 Remote Control on ukgamer.
• OCZ Agility 60GB SSD (SLC) on Bjorn3D.com.
• Palit GT 240 Sonic Graphics Card on Neoseeker.
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 Digital Camera on Digital Trends.
• Patriot Box Office HD Media Player on Legit Reviews.
• Speck TwoZip HDD Case on Test Freaks.
• Samsung SyncMaster LD190G 19" Lapfit USB LCD Monitor on ThinkComputers.org.
• Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 2GB Overclocked Graphics Card on TweakTown.
• Sapphire Radeon HD5750 Vapor-X Graphics Card on Rage3D.com.
• Thecus N0503 ComboNAS on Hi-Tech Reviews.
• Western Digital 320 GB Scorpio Black Notebook Hard Disk Drive on Tech ARP.

• The PT Boats - Knights of the Sea Game Manual is online…
• Paradox Continues Community-Friendly Ways with Independent Multiplayer and Matchmaking Support. Announces GameRanger support…

We're having problems with one of our DirecTV DVRs that's likely a hard drive issue, as it causes recorded shows to pause and stutter. I fixed this twice by reformatting the hard drive but it eventually returns. I would gladly buy a new one with a larger hard drive, but am completely put off by the two year contract this will lock me into. I think I'm just going to crack this thing open and put a new drive in and see what happens.

Reformatted Links:	Thanks Ant and Mike Martinez.
Play:	English Words. Thanks Neatorama. Only 51% here. Fly Squirrel, Fly. Mummy Tombs 2.
Links:	Laptop Steering Wheel Desk. Read the reviews. Thanks The Flying Penguin. What Cartoon Characters Look Like in Real Life. The Star Wars Holiday Special: Boring fans for 31 years. Thanks Neatorama.
Stories:	Police: Would-be Seattle ninja impaled on fence. Thanks ^Drag0n^. Antarctic team's search for rare whisky. Thanks Neatorama. Lion opens family's car door with his teeth.
Science:	Tattoo You. The Pied Piper of Mucus. Thanks Neatorama.
Images:	Sports Car-Side Car.
Media:	Twilight- Three Wolf Moon. Thanks DrEnter. Microsoft Store Employees - Awkward Dancing Routine. Kitty Cat Loving Nearly Interrupts Traffic Ticket.
The Funnies:	Dilbert. Thanks Devicer.